Pols Want Building Code Changes In Reaction To Surfside Collapse

LONG BEACH, NY — As the death toll in the Surfside condominium collapse has reached 32 after four more bodies were found, there are calls to proactively address building concerns on Long Island.

"How much do we know about the structural integrity of our buildings here?" State Senator Todd Kaminsky (D-Rockville Centre) asked at a Tuesday news conference.

Kaminsky compared the Surfside community to Long Beach, where there are many condos also pressed against the water, but cautioned "we don't know" the status of those edifices.

Therefore, Kaminsky is calling for a new state law so that everyone knows which buildings are safe. Part of the problem, Kaminsky, who recently announced a run for Nassau County district attorney, contended is that many of the aging shorefront high rises have not been inspected for years.

The law would require building owners to pay to have engineers periodically check if the structure is sound and report the findings to the department of buildings.

"We know that our residents will be saved by this action sometime in the future," Kaminsky said.

Kaminsky joined state senators Diane Savino (D-Staten Island) and Roxanne (D-Canarsie) in penning a letter for New York's Code Council.